2026 Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony (2026 숭례문 파수의식)
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2026 Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony runs Jan 1, 2026 (Thu) ~ Dec 31, 2026 (Thu) at Sungnyemun Gate Plaza.
Dates · Venue
- Dates
- Jan 1, 2026 (Thu) ~ Dec 31, 2026 (Thu)
- Venue
- Sungnyemun Gate Plaza (숭례문 광장)
- Address
- 40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 중구 세종대로 40, 남대문로4가)
- Hours
- 10:00~15:40
- Admission
- Free
- Contact phone
- 02-3789-7402
Dates and fees can change. Check the official website or call before you go.
About the event
The ‘Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony’, which guards Sungnyemun Gate, is officially closed on Mondays and runs every day except Monday from 10:00 to 15:40. Guarding the capital's defenses was one of the important military ceremonies of the Joseon era. Defending the capital was the most important matter in the Joseon era, and it became a serious problem especially during the reign of King Seonjo, after the Imjin War and the Byeongja War. The guard ceremony is a Joseon-era military ritual that connects the ceremony of opening and closing the capital gates at the Injeong and Paru bells with the night patrol ceremony, and considering its position and role within the central military system, it is as important as guarding the palace walls. The procedure of the ‘Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony’ is as follows. The guards line up in front of Sungnyemun Gate, their post, and the Geumnugwan, who announces the Paru, appears, after which the signals of the horn and the trumpet sound. On the order of the commander (hogun), the guards perform the gate-opening ceremony. Then the guard ceremony for protecting Sungnyemun Gate begins, and after the 1st and 2nd guard units change shifts, the guard ceremony is performed. After that, 6 changing and guard ceremonies are held, and on the order of the commander, the guards perform the gate-closing ceremony.
Main programs
- Main program: Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony
- Side events and programs: night patrol ceremony of the Sungnyemun Gate guards / Sungnyemun Gate opening and closing ceremony / One-Day Night Patrol Guard, and more
How to get there
40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
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Photos
Photos are shown as provided, without cropping or retouching.
AI translation of the Korean text from the Korea Tourism Organization.
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